to think the new ASDA advert is the biggest pile of sexist crap in a long time

[MaureenLove]

to think its trying to APPEAL to women? dur!

I know I'm getting to this late, but I've just seen the ad and it pissed me off.

Running around like a blue arsed fly while everyone else sits on their backsides doesn't reflect my idea (or reality) of Christmas at all. Knobbers.

I think three things about this...they THINK they're 'showing appreciation' for mums everywhere; second, that it's actually uninspired crap; and finally, that it is probably a fairly accurate prediction of how our Christmas will unfold. Except I didn't see Asda mum necking Kir Royales and swearing at the roast potatoes before slipping on a piece of smoked salmon which then impressively ends up in her hair.

Isabella, your list is precisely why I think we need to object to these kind of adverts! :-)

I'm so pleased other people are as hacked off about this hideous advert as I am. Sadly, it is just one of many sexist ads on at the minute (although it's certainly one of the worst).
The thing is, yes, it probably IS true that in a lot of cases, the Mum still does the majority of the prep work. However, there are plenty of families where the men do an equal share or even more. Sexism should have NO place in advertising. Could you imagine if they had the tagline 'Behind every good Christmas is a white person / gay person, etc? It's unthinkable. So why is sexism still acceptable?
It's a horrible ad - outdated, archaic and offensive

All that's missing is the bloke hinting at his chances of a Christmas shag later.

My grandmother used to relate how her father and brothers all did the washing up on Christmas Day - the only day of the year they did. Although none of them touched the saucepans.

OK, so it's an intensely irritating advert, based on what some pissed advertising execs loosely imagine is family life in Britain today.

But ffs, the "what's for tea, love?" remark was intended to be a joke.

Yeah but it's the kind of joke that would make me throw a carving knife at the twat that said it after I'd been stuck in the kitchen doing dishes.

Maybe she made a quick exit to the kitchen so she didn't have to spend hours trying to untwirl the cable ties that hold kids toys into their excessive packaging, then have to find the tiny screwdriver that came in last year's Xmas cracker to open a compartment to try and fit the right sized batteries!

Have just watched it for the second time. I have recently escaped from a 12 year relationship with a 1950's kind of guy. DS (16) is sat next to me, so I asked him what he thought of it.

He said 'I think it's kind of sexist. It's not always the mum who does all of the work, everyone should help'.

Considering the role model he has grow up with, I am so proud that he didn't just say 'yeah? What's wrong with it?'

Dh and I laughed our head off watching this the other day. Quite a lot resonated with us especially buying the tree. Yes, some bits are crap but take it for what it is - an exaggerated tongue in cheek joke. Lighten up everyone.

I haven't seen the ad, but I've heard the Halfords radio one, which makes my heart sink. But from what you've all said about this advert, who makes Christmas that hard? I'm a single parent and do it all myself, and it's not that bad. I do it all online and have it delivered and just cook a more elaborate version of a sunday roast.

No. I will always challenge discriminatory attitudes towards women. It's no joke.

... I'm confused. Christmas tv ads have ALWAYS been shitey, pander to outdated stereotypes and tap into totally unrealistic Platonic ideals of what Christmas 'ought' to be. And you're getting worked up about one single ad? They are all shite. John Lewis tries to make us cry by reminding us that Christmas is all about Family and multi-generational harmony and upper-middle class interior decor. M&S tries to titilate us with the obligatory lingerie slot mid-ad. Iceland tries to convince us that their cheapo prawn rings are actually edible.

They are ALL liars and ALL shitey. They ALL ought to induce rage. Christmas adverts depress me because they unfailingly get between me and what Christmas could be for me and my family. They set up unfair expectations and assume (correctly, sometimes) that we are all willing to spend way more than we can afford.

So within that context, I think this Asda offering is ... meh. 6/10. Nice try.

I thought it was reasonably funny tbh.

If you want to get worked up, can we start a thread about how invidious the new Lego 'Friends' range is, with their pink fecking boxes and their cupcake shops and beauty salons and puppy grooming parlours, ffs?

oh, it's been done already, you say?

Surely "what's for tea, love?" is a bit of an advertising 'in joke' at the end?

Might have already covered this but can't be arsed don't have time to read through 22 pages of this thread.

I agree with the posters who say though - why not show how easy it is to order everything online? You don't need to navigate a shopping trolley in a crowded supermarket just before xmas with kids at your feet. No-one would be smiling at that.

Or maybe it's some sort of subversive ad for Prozac?

I am married to a 1950s guy and it's not funny. I absolutely hate ads like this (the Boots ones too) as they let men off the hook and allow them to believe it's okay to live like this. I'm always bloody scurrying round organising everything (all year round) and I hate it

obviously I'm not a proper mum then, as I hate cooking and have never cooked Xmas dinner in my life.

Me too Dahlen. I have no useless DH, and manage to organise Xmas with minimal work and fuss. It's not that complicated.

And YES it does fucking matter that advertisers STILL trot out this tired "wifey being oh so capable, hubby being a bit crap" trope.
It may well ring true for many households, but that doesn't make it an acceptable way for big supermarkets to market themselves.
Oh look! Xmas is really hard work for "mums". Aw, didn't she do well. She loves it really.
Advertisers generally reflect what is going on in very mainstream society. They are not innovators, but parasites, sucking out the relentless sexist crap we are forced to confront day to day and spitting it right back in our faces.
It's 2012 people. And I am not one of the "Mums". I am a working woman, who happens to also have a child. Christmas is just an enjoyable but rather tedious interruption in my working life. Put that in your pipe and smoke it Asda.

Can everyone saying it's "true to life" just clarify one thing please?

Are you actually saying that on Christmas Day in your house, the person who did all the cooking (ie, you) is also the person who does all the washing up?

Seriously?!

It does give me a nice warm Xmasy glow to think that mumsnet feminists and fathers 4 justice might unite over their hatred of this ad though.

I'm sure the Geneva Convention mentioned something about cookers of Christmas dinners being forbidden from doing the clearing up.

Casey that's true!

I like being capable wife, but can see why others don't.
I think you either like "doing xmas" or not irrespective of whether you work or not. I know working mums/wives who thrive on their hectic December, rushing here and there trying to create the perfect xmas. I know others in this position who hate it. I also know sahm's who relish it and others who hate it.
The advert and the research they did to produce it did represent the customers who responded. One of which could have been me, I complete all their questionnaires. I shop there as get discount as my ds1 works there. So maybe its the sisters who shop there you need to blame, not the media.

I am not married to anyone any more. I have never felt so bloody relieved.